Bands with very distinctive sounds that could never be replicated

[LynneSin]

My #1 pick would be Joy Division. I am absolutely mesmerized by this band and listen to their albums very often (I have 'Unknown Pleasures' and 'Still', which is an album put out after the death of Ian Curtis that contained live versions).

Not sure if it's Curtis voice or their very unique bass/guitar sound. Even when the surviving members of Joy Division stayed together after Ian Curtis death and formed the band New Order, well even New Order never sounded anything like Joy Division.

I also think Rush has a very distinctive sound with Geddy Lee's very high tenor voice.

[Rambis]

1. Grateful Dead

[LynneSin]

2. God broke the mold after he made that band

Then God decided she wanted Jerry Garcia for her own band up in heaven.

[WilliamPitt]

20. Win

[Populist_Prole]

3. Iron Maiden

Even without Bruce Dickenson's powerful voice, their sound is instantly recognizable as Maiden. I believe Bassist Steve Harris is a big part of that.

[Skip Intro]

116. +100. My favorite band. Very disticntive (and killer) sound.

Bruce has the best voice in metal. But you're right, even without him, that band is unmistakeable.

Harris, along with the other guitarists in the band, are phenomenal. Maiden has some of the best guitar solos I've ever heard. And the sound, yeah, you know it's Maiden when you hear it.

[EastTennesseeDem]

4. You ever listen to Interpol?

Well, "Turn on the Bright Lights" anyway. The rest of their albums are sort of meh.

Not saying they replicated Joy Division or really even attempted to, but they have their moments that give me a mental image of Ian Curtis.

[harmonicon]

48. They definitely attempted to.

I've always heard them as a sort of cross between Joy Division and the Psychedelic Furs. For that reason, I really dislike them. Instead of doing something original, they seem to just be trying to copy what others have done.

[EastTennesseeDem]

74. I dunno...

Although "Turn on the Bright Lights" is the only album by them that I really love--or even like--I only hear Joy Division out them in bursts (like the end of the song I posted). In general, there is too much reverb, too much wordplay and a de-emphasis on lyrics (as opposed to the unconscionably brilliant straight-up poetry a la Ian Curtis), no sound of apocalyptic doom, and basically no minimalism; Interpol are wholly theatrical in their delivery. The baritone vocals and depressed delivery certainly do make for some Joy Division comparisons, but I don't think at all that Interpol tried to be them.

[harmonicon]

108. Of course it's theatrical, because it's parody, intended or not.

I think it's listeners who choose if emphasis is on the lyrics or not. It is with Joy Division because the lyrics are great, but most bands don't have that.

[greyl]

64. And just one more step to She Wants Revenge...

[begin_within]

5. The flute gives Jethro Tull an unmistakable sound.

[TwilightGardener]

29. I agree--the flute and Ian Anderson's voice.

[TwilightGardener]

6. Kansas-- the violin was so much a part of their music.

Edit to add: also agree with Rush--Geddy Lee's voice is a big component of their music.

[LynneSin]

7. Yeah but ELO did it better with strings

[TwilightGardener]

8. Them's fightin' words. All I can remember from ELO is

Last edited Tue Sep 18, 2012, 03:28 PM - Edit history (1)

"Don't bring me down....BRUCE!!" Damn, I hated that song.

[LynneSin]

24. Just kick back and listen to the album 'Eldorado'

Or side 3 of ELO's "Out of the Blue" aka 'Concerto for a Rainy Day' set.

[TwilightGardener]

26. OK, I will give them a listen.

[LynneSin]

28. ELO is like alot of bands of that era where their oldest stuff was way better than the newer stuff

And to me Eldorado (with the famous photo from the 'Wizard of Oz' where the witch was trying to steal Dorothy's shoes) is one of those albums that is way better as a whole than the components although it's got one of ELO's greatest singles 'Can't get it out of my head'

[TwilightGardener]

34. Yep, I think there was a lot of pressure in that era to produce a radio-friendly single, and that

spelled doom for a lot of progressive rock bands.

[TwilightGardener]

73. OK, reporting back from listening: turns out I know more ELO

than I thought, just by growing up in the 70's. "Can't Get It Out of My Head", "Evil Woman", "Strange Magic"--etc. They got a lot more radio play than I remembered. I'll be honest, I don't like any of their singles--pop-sounding, just not my thing. However, I listened to Eldorado (someone posted the full album on Youtube)--better than their singles would suggest, like most groups back then. Very reminiscent of Beatles and Elton John, to me. Nice melodies, good composing and songwriting. I recognize "Boy Blue", I think my brother must have had this album somewhere in his vast collection. It could grow on me, though I will say it doesn't rock. Not really able to compare it to Kansas--they were primarily a guitar-rock band that incorporated violin (just one guy), not a string-heavy classical-sounding orchestra-type thing. Thanks for the recommendation, it's worth listening to.

[LynneSin]

75. Well I wouldn't put Kansas and ELO in the same category

ELO is more of a laid back groove whereas Kansas was more in your face.

Ironically I'm listening to Eldorado right now. It's probably in my top 10 of favorite albums you'd want to listen to start to finish.

[TwilightGardener]

77. Yeah, Kansas was more on the rock side of progressive rock--ELO was progressive in

a different direction. Edit to add: still better songwriting and musicianship than much of what's being made today, regardless.

[KamaAina]

40. It's not Bruce, it's 'Gruss'.

They recorded that album in Austria, where "Gruss!" is some kind of local slangy greeting.

[TwilightGardener]

46. LOL--well, thanks, that clears that up!

[OriginalGeek]

55. Well damn

the Bruce in the office next to me is gonna miss me walking by and singing Brrrrruce! every day.


I'm positive he'll miss it. But I can't go on doing it inaccurately.



Poor Bruce.

[KamaAina]

80. You could always say Bruuuuuuuuce!!!

[OriginalGeek]

97. Shhhhhhh!

don't tell anyone - I like ELO way better than the Boss...

[bluesbassman]

9. Right off the top of my head I'd say The B-52's.

The vocal mix of Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson would be tough to replicate. Quirky arrangements too.

[Tom Ripley]

58. Absolutely! And particularly when Ricky was alive (a deceptively unique guitar player)

[TwilightGardener]

10. One more: REM. No Michael Stipe, no REM sound.

[Rambis]

12. Might enjoy this

[TwilightGardener]

15. With Natalie Merchant! I did enjoy that, thanks!

[Rambis]

16. Same tour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=PZddiue77MY

[kwassa]

11. The Rolling Stones

Mick's, like it or not, unique voice married to Keith's bizarre guitar tuning and sound. It is the combination that makes it effective. The entire band is a great rhythm section.

[Teamster Jeff]

36. If you are a Stones fan

and haven't read it already check out "Life" by Keith Richards. It is an awesome read.

[Tom Ripley]

54. The 69-74 Rolling Stones will never be duplicated by even The Rolling Stones

[LynneSin]

82. I have to agree with that 10000000%

I am so not impressed with anything the Rolling Stones have done after 'Some Girls', which was 1978. That was pretty much to me when RS jumped the shark and put out more pop-commericialized albums then the stuff that made them legends.

[Tom Ripley]

89. Ron Wood is a sweet guy, but they really did start becoming a self-parody when he joined the group..

and the New York Dolls were already a more clever and entertaining Rolling Stones parody.

[LynneSin]

91. I think that's the reason I don't like the Stones that much

I mean for bands like Led Zeppelin and the Beatles they hit their creative peaks and then ended the band either because of death or creative differences. I think because of that, these groups managed to keep their legend intact without having that period of 'what were they thinking when they put THAT out!'.

Stones should have retired ages ago. Their excessive touring and putting out substandard albums has tarnished their reputation. Most folks at a Stones show have no clue of the amazingly creative period that the Stones had back in the late 60's-early 70's. I can say the same about Aerosmith too.

[Tom Ripley]

92. Perfectly stated [phone] (n/t)

[hifiguy]

94. Mick and Keef's best songs with Mick Taylor on lead guitar.

For what more could one ask?

Ronnie's fine, but he's Keef's Keef. Mick T brought elegance and style where it was needed and could rock with the best of them when that was called for.

[TrogL]

13. Emerson Lake and Palmer

Also Peter Frampton's custom guitar vox-box.

[harmonicon]

49. Was it custom? I thought he just used a normal talk box.

Regardless of gear, it's his playing and song writing that set him apart... though the gear is interesting. Did you hear the story about a guitar of his that was lost in a plane crash, assumed destroyed, and found decades later? Someone picked it out of the wreckage, and it had gone through several owners in different countries.

[Tom Ripley]

59. I think it was a standard Heil Talk Box (unless I'm slipping as a gear queen)

[harmonicon]

65. That's what I thought as well, but I guess I just assumed so.

Other companies have made similar things, and I guess he could have had one custom made just for him.

[Tom Ripley]

84. I remember building one as a teenager...

I took a Radio Shack horn speaker
cut off the horn
placed a length of plastic tubing over the stub that was left
connected an amp output to the speaker
put the other end of the tube in my mouth and let 'er go
after just a little bit of tooth-rattling fun, decided that 10 watts was a bit too much for driving a talk box

[harmonicon]

113. That's awesome.

I've never built any of my own effects or amps, etc. I really wish I had a better education about that technical side of music making.

[Tom Ripley]

114. You too can be awesome! It really is not that hard to jump into it...

Here are some good resources

www.experimentalistsanonymous.com

www.diystompboxes.com

www.geofex.com

The GEAR sections of the following 2 forums can also be very helpful:

www.chondriticsound.com/forum

www.forum.noiseguide.com

The Nicolas Collins book Handmade Electronic Music is fantastic

www.nicolascollins.com/handmade.htm



Directions on how to build simple and inexpensive musical instruments, and other musical information. All sorts of acoustic-oriented instruments built out of household, backyard, and trash heap materials

www.dennishavlena.com


Good luck and have fun!

[Crepuscular]

14. Steely Dan

Steely Dan has a unique sound that rarely gets mistaken for someone else.

[Scuba]

18. +1 and welcome to DU.

Fagan = unique

[geardaddy]

37. +1

Fagen is awesome.

[Patiod]

124. +1

Must be Becker and Fagen's voices, since the musicians are all session musicians (I've seen Steely Dan a few times live)

[HopeHoops]

17. Devo

[geardaddy]

42. +1

[fizzgig]

60. +2

[cemaphonic]

132. Weird Al nailed their sound on "Dare to be Stupid"

He should probably be an exception to the whole thread though, since his band has always been really great at capturing the sound of the parodied band.

[HopeHoops]

135. I think my favorite was "I'm Fat" (MJ's "I'm Bad")

[WilliamPitt]

19. Creedence.

You never see Creedence cover bands, because no one can sing like Fogarty.

[TwilightGardener]

21. I am going to have to disagree--Creedence was a popular

band to cover. "Proud Mary" really got around, for example.

[LynneSin]

22. But non-CCR versions of "Proud Mary" weren't done to sound like CCR...

I mean Ike & Tina Turner did a version that really steamed up the place and was a far cry different from the way it was done by CCR.

[TwilightGardener]

25. My dad used to cover Creedence with his little local bar band, back in the 70's.

So my criteria is: can the wedding-gig crowd cover it without sounding ridiculous? No? Then it's truly distinctive.

[lame54]

23. Pavement

[Victor_c3]

88. I was going to say that n/t

[lame54]

93. sweet...

they are the best

[ButterflyBlood]

109. Ever listened to Cymbals Eat Guitars?

Their first album came pretty close:

[Teamster Jeff]

27. Pink Floyd nt

[geardaddy]

30. The Talking Heads

No David Byrne, No Talking Heads.

Also, The Clash. No Joe Strummer, no Clash

[Arugula Latte]

76. Yep -- Good ones.

[LynneSin]

81. I think the Talking Heads are the closest you can get to Joy Division

I was a Heads fan way before I discovered Joy Division. Byrne's voice is a bit like Ian Curtis and I found it interesting how both of them dressed similar and would dance that weird almost epileptic style dance. But even with the similiarities The Talking Heads did manage to be an original sounding band.

[geardaddy]

83. I can see that.

I like JD. I'm not super familiar with their stuff, but I did see a great doco on Netflix about them.

[Teamster Jeff]

31. and The Ramones

[geardaddy]

32. +1000

Joey's voice is hard to replicate.

[TwilightGardener]

33. U2, in their earlier years--The Edge had a very unique guitar style and sound.

[LynneSin]

35. Did you see the movie 'It Might Get Loud'

Featured Jack White, Jimmy Page and Edge talking about how they create music.

Edge played this guitar riff that was kinda boring and mundane but that was the sound before he added in all the lil extras that makes a song a U2 song. When he adds in those special effects he uses you realize he's playing the intro to a famous U2 song (I forget which one) and you're amazed at how he can take something so basic and make it sound so wow.

[TwilightGardener]

39. No--I will have to look that up and show it to my husband--The Edge and U2 were what inspired him

to start playing guitar back in the early 80's.

[progressoid]

71. Here's a little of Edge from the movie.

The thing Lynn referenced is toward the end I think.

Kind of cool stuff.

[TwilightGardener]

78. Thank you! Gonna have my husband watch it, he'll get a kick out of it.

He really likes Jack White, too.

[7wo7rees]

66. Highly recommended to music fans and guitar geeks

Edge - got every trick in a wizard's book, and tries them all to get where he's going

Jimmy - been to the mountaintop and back and just wants to replicate the bliss he found in Link Wray

Jack - builds guitars from nothing to prove music is right under your fingers



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Might_Get_Loud


FYI: Directed by Davis Guggenheim, director of An Inconvenient Truth

[hifiguy]

38. Defintely agree about Joy Division.

To this day "Closer" is a blood-freezer, some of the darkest, most melancholic music ever recorded. I think it was the huge empty or sparsely populated spaces in JD's music that made them sound unique.

Emerson Lake & Palmer. There is only one Keith Noel Emerson. The King of Prog Keyboards.
Genesis with Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett. 'nuff said, as Stan Lee put it.
Can - the great German avant-gardists of the 1960s and 1970s. There's nothing like them anywhere - never has been and never will be again.
Van Der Graaf Generator. Organ, sax, drums and Peter Hammill's 3-octave voice.
Soft Machine. A less imposing Can with English whimsy rather than Teutonic and modernist intellectualism.

For a solo artist, Mike Oldfield. He invented what he does and no one else can copy it.

I am sure I am missing several more innovators.

[LynneSin]

43. I just found on YouTube a complete JD concert I plan to watch this weekend

I saw the movie about Ian Curtis on Sundance the other day and found it really interesting. The movie name is 'Control' based on the song by Joy Division and the fact that Ian Curtis had little control over his body because of the Epilepsy.

[hifiguy]

44. Poor Ian Curtis. That guy was dealt a very tough hand.

Depressive, epileptic, but somehow still a brilliant spinner of dark and forbidding dreams.

[Tom Ripley]

62. Particularly Van Der Graaf Generator...you can detect echoes in the work of others, but just echoes

Can and Oldfield are also first rate.

[KamaAina]

41. The Left Banke

[HarveyDarkey]

45. Dixie Dregs

[pipi_k]

47. Boston...

and Pink Floyd would be my two choices.



Oh wait...

Cream.

And Santana

[GreenPartyVoter]

99. Love that beautiful melodic tone of Boston. Always have!

[annabanana]

50. Vanilla Fudge. . . I can't believe I'm the first!.

[harmonicon]

51. All of the good ones, or none, depending on how you look at it.

I mean, good musicians can basically ape almost any sound. It's not that hard. Coming up with a unique style or sound is what's rare and difficult.

I remember - about ten years ago - I was at work and the radio was on or some cd was playing, and I asked one of my coworkers why he had it on, because he hated Creed. He told that this was not Creed, but some equally shitty band. To me, they and so many of those butt-rock bands sounded exactly the same. How someone could pick likes and dislikes out of that category is beyond me.

[Dr. Strange]

52. Who is this Geddy Lee you speak of?

[TwilightGardener]

53. Lordy, one more: Dave Matthews Band--you always know a Dave Matthews song.

[Third Doctor]

56. The Smashing Pumpkins

Billy's voice can't be imitated or replicated.

[Tom Ripley]

90. Thank god for that!

The music could be so majestic, but that voice...?
I always described it as "a gnat perched on top of a cathedral"

[Tom Ripley]

57. Black Sabbath (due to the uniqueness of Osbourne's voice)...

Television (many have tried and not succeeded)
Led Zeppelin (genetics can carry one only so far in trying to nail John Bonham's drag and whomp
The Shaggs (that inspired ineptitude cannot be formalized)


I think a lot of the uniqueness of Joy Division is due to the meticulousness of the guitar, bass, drums, electronics, in contrast to the casual, almost sloppy nature of Curtis' vocals. There are many other baritones who are far better singers (Morrison, Bowie, Iggy Pop, Ian McCulloch, Andrew Eldritch, John Cale, Billy Idol, etc, but the "first take quality" of Curtis' vocals contribute to the overall sense of helplessness and ennui.

[Tom Ripley]

61. John Phillips may be the Dark Prince of Rock, but the Mamas and Papas were never duplicated

[Tom Ripley]

63. Early 70s line-up of Hawkwind including Del Dettmar, Dik Mik, Lemmy...and the astonishing Stacia

[Systematic Chaos]

67. Van der Graaf Generator, Gentle Giant and Cardiacs.

Nobody else sounds like Peter Hammill.

No other band can quite do what Gentle Giant could during their 10-year career.

Cardiacs married the genres of progressive and punk rock in a way which was all their own.

[sendero]

68. One could argue...

..... that any band/singer/musician worth listening to would fit into that category. Who wants to listen to a copy?

That said here would be my nominations:

Brian Eno/King Crimson/Yes/Genesis/Tull/ELP/Allman Brothers/Gang of Four/Talking Heads/ Wall of Voodoo/Police/Cars/Vangelis/Cocteau Twins/Bowie/Iggy Pop/Goldie/Beck/Squarepusher/Boards of Canada/Amon Tobin/Wire/DJ Shadow/Steely Dan/The Stranglers/Jimi/Creedence/Kate Bush/Stereolab/Magazine/Igor Stravinsky

and I'm sure many I've left out

[zen_bohemian]

69. Rush

[cherish44]

70. ELO

n/t

[av8rdave]

72. I'll add a vote for Rush. Tomorrow night, Nationwide Arena, baby!

[distantearlywarning]

105. Saw them in Pittsburgh last Tuesday

I thought they sounded the best I've ever heard them. Incredibly tight, incredibly musical. I think they just get better and better as they age.

Enjoy the show!

[av8rdave]

123. It was my 3rd Rush show

Like you said, they get better and better.

[Patiod]

125. So there were two concerts at the same time one night

in Philadelphia: Rush, and Jimmy Buffett. The late-comers were sharing the same parking

There could not possibly be a bigger difference in the appearance of the fans.

Group 1: coconut bras and grass skirts, shorts, Hawaiian shirts, Hawaiian shirts and more Hawaiian shirts
Group 2: jeans, black t-shirts

Hint: The rush fans were NOT wearing Hawaiian shirts

[HughBeaumont]

79. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum . . .

. . . primarily because two of their members made several of their own instruments.

[angel823]

96. how's about a little

Idiot Flesh to go with that....?

Angel in Texas

[geardaddy]

85. The Shaggs

[Tom Ripley]

86. Yep (n/t)

[Mike Daniels]

87. Mid 70's King Crimson

Lark's Tongue in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red era

[ceile]

95. Pixies

[HopeHoops]

98. Not so much a band, but a person with a band - never to be duplicated - Satchmo.

[WestWisconsinDem]

100. Rush and Yes

[glacierbay]

101. I would have to say

Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, The Hollies, BloodRock, The Chambers Brothers.

[NoGOPZone]

103. The Hollies were the first to come to my mind

You beat me by twenty minutes

[glacierbay]

104. Got to see them in concert

way back in the day in LA, not bad at all, my favorite all time band that I saw in concert was Meatloaf at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas in the late 80's, he put on one hell of a concert.

[KeepItReal]

102. Prince and the Revolution

"Purple Rain" says it all

[distantearlywarning]

106. Also not a band, but a person - Richie Blackmore

I can tell his guitar work instantly, almost from the first chord. He has a very distinctive style, both in Deep Purple and in Blackmore's Night.

[Piltdown13]

107. My vote goes to Queen...

Freddie's voice, Brian May's guitar, and of course the distinctive rhythm section -- pretty unmistakable.

[Patiod]

126. +1

100%

[ButterflyBlood]

110. mewithoutYou is the first one that came to mind to me

Especially since their albums all had difference sounds, and no one has ever really copied that either.

[OxQQme]

111. Hard to believe....No Fleetwood Mac

&feature=player_detailpage

amongst many others

[TwilightGardener]

112. Yes-especially with Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham.

They really gave the group its sound.

[WiffenPoof]

115. Tull - Steely Dan - Queen n/t

[JesterCS]

117. Maynard from Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, etc

[Socal31]

118. Aw yes, a "date yourself" thread.

I approve!

[Major Nikon]

119. The Byrds and Roger Mcguinn's 12 string

[HoneychildMooseMoss]

120. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass

[mimi85]

121. Little Feat

when Lowell George was alive. And Richie Hayward, one of the best drummers ever. Miss them both.

[byeya]

122. Captain Beefheart. The Fall. The Pogues.

[GreenTea]

127. CCR

[SecularMotion]

128. They Might Be Giants

[Spike89]

129. The Kinks

Between the trashed amps and the vocals, you can identify an early Kinks song right away. I'd also put Elvis Costello up there for his voice and way with a lyric.

[kwassa]

130. Ray Davies' unique voice and delivery, and some great songs.

[per_ardua]

131. the fugs!

with Sam Shepard on drums.

[kwassa]

133. Monday, nothing, Tuesday, nothing, Wednesday and Thursday, nooo-thing!

[MrScorpio]

134. The Isley Brothers